Steering Problems of Chrysler Pacifica - part 1

Recently, in the last 2 weeks since the writing of this post, I've noticed a sensation when doing a gradual turn anywhere between 20-60 mph, and the steering wheel is at the 11 or 1 o clock position, the vehicle "sticks". I then have to put force on the steering wheel to get it back to center and straighten out the driving path. This puts me and other drivers on the road in danger because it's extremely easy to oversteer and swerve off the road or into another driver, injuring or killing passengers. Although I have not taken this to a dealer yet, there are numerous articles online clearly stating this is a very dangerous issue-specifically with my 2017 model year. I see no warning lights that accompany this behavior. And that makes it all the more dangerous. Without any awareness of the issue, it's a lot more probable to experience the behavior and cause an accident.

See all problems of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica 🔎.

My 2017 Chrysler Pacifica (VIN 2c4rc1bg5hr540556, approximately 99,880 miles) intermittently loses electric power steering assist while driving. The service power steering warning illuminates and steering effort increases substantially. Assist returns on its own without restarting the vehicle. Failures correlate with extended driving and heat. I scanned the electric power steering module directly. It reports dtc c2217 (electric power steering module internal) and c2210 (ecu over-temperature), both stored and currently present. Live data captured at idle in park shows 7. 98 nm of driver steering input with 0. 00 nm of assist torque and 0 amps of system current draw, confirming assist was fully inactive. Battery voltage was steady at 14. 1 to 14. 2 volts throughout, ruling out a supply or ground fault. The module also reports an implausible internal temperature reading while drawing no current, indicating an internal electronics fault rather than a genuine thermal event. This is a non-hybrid, front-wheel-drive vehicle. Intermittent loss of steering assist at speed presents a crash risk. I am aware of investigation pe25009 covering the eps system on 2017-2018 Pacifica vehicles.

Periodically, the steering wheel will stick between the 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock position. The vehicle will not track back to center/driving straight and you have to overcome the sticking of the steering wheel. This is very dangerous!.

Steering binds when turning right exiting to a highway off ramp.

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Steering wheel locked.

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The vehicle exhibits an intermittent, completely silent sticking and binding sensation in the steering wheel during gradual turns at highway speeds (occurring across all speeds between 20–80 mph). The binding defect triggers during both left and right-hand gradual turns, requiring the driver to apply sudden, manual physical force to break past a resistance "notch" point, which is followed by a sudden return of power steering assistance. The vehicle's electrical system has been thoroughly diagnosed and isolated: a brand-new auxiliary and main battery were installed, and secondary 12v accessories were completely disconnected, verifying the charging system maintains a perfect, steady 14. 1 to 14. 2 volts under load while the steering binding continues to occur. This rules out standard battery/alternator low-voltage failure. The vehicle was brought to a certified Chrysler dealership where a technician test-drove the minivan and explicitly witnessed, verified, and confirmed the bi-directional steering binding failure in real-time. Despite the physical failure being witnessed, the vehicle's computer is not throwing any active dashboard warning lights or standard diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs). This vehicle matches the exact model year, mileage bracket, and dangerous high-speed sticking characteristics currently under active federal investigation by the odi under NHTSA action number pe25009.

The power steering is intermittently losing power during turns. This just started to occur within the past week so it has not yet been taken to a shop. Yes it is available for inspection. Safety was put at risk due to it being a family car with children. A quick response was necessary to prevent oversteer during correction. Apparently this is a known issue on earlier models and seems to be continuing. No warnings.

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The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the steering wheel would stick when turned approximately to the one o'clock position, requiring to be jerked to operate as intended. The contact stated that when the failure occurred, the auto start-stop warning light illuminated, and the check engine warning light would intermittently flash on and off. The dealer and the manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. No further information was available. The failure mileage was approximately 123,630.

While driving my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica at highway speeds the steering wheel locks or sticks in a curve and is extremely scary! this happened to me back in 2022 and took several trips to the dealer to determine the problem as they could not recreate the occurrence. After several attempts they found recall v53/NHTSA 19v-348, they followed the recall and returned the vehicle to me in August of 2022. Everything working great until now again in 2026 4 yrs later while driving at highway speeds the vehicle is doing the exact same thing, I returned to dealership that fixed recall v53 to perform the same recall, they stated the recall only has a 2 yr warranty and that I must pay a $250 diagnostic, I refused and called Chrysler recall and they stated the same thing, this is absolutley ridiculous! this is a major safety issue that could cause an accident and should be a lifetime warranty recall, the fact that the safety of their costumers and all others on the road is not their top priority is baffling! I'm extremely disappointed in the dealership and Chrysler and am now reconsidering buying a Chrysler when I get a new car next year.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle suddenly experienced reduced power and hard shifting. Additionally, the steering wheel suddenly became difficult to turn while driving. The cause of the failures was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 50,000.

Driving on highway with winding roads the steering wheel would stick on a slight turn. It would happen at the 11oclock & 1oclock position, mostly on a right curve. When correcting back you get a slight over steer. This happened over the 4 of July holiday 2026. At slower speeds it did not seem to happen. No warning lights or messages were displayed.

The electric power steering (eps) is the affected system. While driving around curves in the road, the steering wheel intermittently sticks. This puts the safety of those in the vehicle as well as others on the roadway at risk. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by a dealer to be an electric steering rack failure. There have not been any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms.

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The steering "sticks" and it is hesitant to pull back to center. It feels like the power steering just stops working for a couple seconds. This problem happens frequently. . . To the point that I am hesitant to drive the van. I get alerts for the electronic stabilization service, but when they pull the codes there are no issues to fix. I have had the vacuum pump and battery replaced (which I was told might correct the problem) but neither fixed the issue. After an internet search, I have found that this seems to be a problem with many 2017 and 2018 Pacifica models. There was one complaint that said to include NHTSA campaign number: pe25009 in any complaints made to the NHTSA.

Power steering malfunctioned and stopped working in the middle of driving. It works intermittently.

Our 2018 Pacifica has had problems similar to what many others have described in the ongoing NHTSA investigation (pe25009), but recently while driving highway speeds around a curve the steering failed to respond briefly which caused us to drift towards the oncoming lane before the steering started to respond. We stopped at a pep boys repair shop and had them to inspect the steering components but they were uncertain of the cause. I was a certified mechanic many years ago as a young man, and this is the most serious safety problem I've ever experienced. Even when this steering problem is brief it can be enough to cause a driver to oversteer and lose control as the steering delay catches up to a driver's input. The possibility of crossing into oncoming traffic is frightening to say the least, so yes it put my family and others safety at risk! there haven't been any warning lights. I suspect it is the rack & pinion system since it has an electric motor rather than a power steering pump. If it's due to the electric motor there should be a warning lamp that lets the driver know if it's failing.

Vibration at low speed when turning. Hangs in position during turning creating safety issue because the steering wheel needs to be yanked in the opposite direction. Steering wheel locks in position at speed unable to turn at all. Entire front end has been preplaced except for rack and pinion / electronic steering box happens every time the vehicle is driven.

The vehicle randomly but regularly experiences a grabbing in the steering when turning and requires a pulling on the steering wheel that then seems to overcorrect momentarily. This vehicle could be available for inspection upon request. I've taken it to my regular mechanic and he reproduced the problem and believes it is due to the steering rack or the electronic controls therein. No warning lamps or messages have ever displayed. I'm afraid that the overcorrection and/or lack of steering control could put the driver of our van and/or others nearby at risk.

Steering felt slightly stiff/stuck while driving on wide turns and straight on interstate. Going slower and making more frequent turns in town, steering felt normal but going fast there was a power steering concern. Not enough to make me jerk but I am worried that it will decline and force a hard jerk and possible swerving while going higher speeds. This is under investigation currently NHTSA campaign number: pe25009. Please please recall!! this was terrifying I have young children.

The steering sticks when making gradual turns on the highway almost like it gets stuck.

Powertrain: harsh, jerky shifting, violent, lurching gear changes, pause before engaging and high revving and lack of acceleration, mostly noticed at 50-60mph steering pe25009 - catching or sticking when making minor or gradual turns in either direction when the steering wheel is positioned near the 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock positions. It requires extra force to break free and jerks the steering.

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When making steering corrections while driving over 55 miles an hour, the steering sticks and suddenly over corrects. This is especially troublesome when driving on winding two lane country roads. It feels like the vehicle might go into the oncoming traffic or off into the ditch.

Vehicle: 2017 Chrysler Pacifica limited gas (VIN: [xxx]) component: steering / electrical power steering (eps) gear rack incident description: I am filing this report in relation to active NHTSA preliminary evaluation pe25009 regarding the intermittent loss of electric power steering assist. While driving on curved roads, the steering system exhibits a distinct "sticky" or binding sensation during gradual, sustained turns. This mechanical resistance is highly localized and most noticeable when holding the steering wheel slightly off-center, specifically near the 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock positions. When attempting to exit a curve, the steering wheel fails to smoothly return to center on its own. It requires a deliberate, manual "nudge" or extra physical driver effort to break past the sticky threshold. Once this resistance is overcome, the electric power steering (eps) assist suddenly reactivates, creating a brief oversteer condition that requires immediate correction to keep the vehicle tracking safely in its lane. The behavior feels heavily tied to an internal electronic fault within the steering gear module rather than standard lane-keep assistance intervention, as the binding sensation persists even with safety features deactivated. This creates an unpredictable driving dynamic, particularly at highway speeds where subtle, precise inputs are required. Additionally, this vehicle has an extensive history of rapid battery failure, requiring multiple complete replacements of both the main and auxiliary batteries within consecutive 12-month periods. I suspect a systemic voltage drop or a compromised electrical ground circuit (potentially related to Chrysler recall v53 / NHTSA 19v-348) may be concurrently affecting or accelerating the failure of the highly voltage-sensitive eps rack assembly. The temporary binding of the steering infrastructure represents a clear, progressive safety defect. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The steering is very sticky. Especially at higher speeds in curves. It is sticky most at the 11:00 and 1:00 spots on the steering wheel. It takes some strength to drive the car through mountains as it is difficult to make sure the wheel is moving correctly through the turn.

Steering wheel sticks at lower speeds between 11-1 o’clock position (approximately) and requires extra force to turn the wheel. I came across number pe25009 which seems to clearly line up with what I am experiencing, so decided to report.

When driving around curves the electric steering is malfunctioning. Making it unsafe to drive almost like it is sticking then when you correct it, it frees up and over corrects. This has been going on for some time now and keeps getting worse and worse. After a little research it seems a lot of other people are having this problem.

I have a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan and I am experiencing intermittent steering wheel sticking issue. While driving at highway speeds, the electric power steering exhibits a distinct 'sticking' or 'catching' sensation when trying to make minor lane corrections. Extra physical effort is required to 'break' the wheel free from the center position, which causes the vehicle to over-correct and jerk into the lane. This creates an immediate risk of losing control or drifting out of the lane. The steering wheel catches and requires excessive manual force to unstick, leading to unsafe over-correction and lane drifting. This is a severe, recurring safety hazard.

Driving down a road, power steering warning light came on, and the power steering went completely out. My wife was driving, and is not strong enough to steer manually. She was able to partially get off the road to stop. Needed other drivers to help get it off the road. We had it towed to a repair shop, and they said the electronic components replaced and only the dealerships do it. Made an appointment and will have to pay to have it towed to the dealership.

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We purchased this 2018 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid about a year ago from a dealership in florida, and the vehicle is now located in [xxx]. The issues involve a malfunctioning high?voltage hybrid charging system/battery and a possible steering or suspension component failure. For now, the vehicle has been under dealer inspection since xxx. Our family’s safety is at risk due to a charging failure in which the vehicle consistently stops charging after reaching 2–3 bars when plugged. I must unplug and reconnect the charger multiple times to resume charging, and this behavior occurs every time the vehicle is charged now. Last week, when the vehicle was fully or nearly fully charged, a “rotten egg” odor entered the cabin, especially in the middle and rear seat area. The smell consistently appeared only after charging and was concentrated near the area where the high?voltage battery is located. Prior to these failures, the only warning was an intermittent check engine light. Another issue, we also experience a metallic spring?like noise during hard turns in both forward while parking. As of the dealer’s initial observation on xxx, their notes state: “electrical system – replace battery. Repair – found battery is the incorrect one installed in the vehicle for an ev system. On the van not charging fully. Chrysler corporation is aware of the issue and is working on a technical service bulletin/possible recall by the end of the year. That needs to be complete first before tech would advise that the customer’s charging cable is not working properly. ” as I understand, we need to change other small battery with right specifications. Although there are currently no open recalls on our specific vehicle, the electrical burning odor has left us extremely concerned for our safety. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Electric power steering sticking while navigating an curve or turn in the road. Whether at slow speeds or fast speeds seems like my steering sticks everytime now. I've had my front end replaced previously for maintenance at 100000 when this originally started. And it seemed to help some but the batteries seem to fail atleast twice a year the aux battery and the main battery and then the steering goes off and over corrects "kicks back on" when you have to pry it out of getting "stuck".

The steering wheel gets stuck when doing gentle turns at moderate speeds (30-50mph). This is a safety issue because you have to fight hard to return the steering to neutral, leading to the possible to overcorrect. The problem seems to get worse when the vehicle is hotter, or after driving for several minutes. The problem has happened for several years and is getting worse and more frequent. Changing brakes and tires has not fixed it. The dealer has been unable to diagnose and fix it and I have paid for several diagnoses out of pocket now.

The steering "sticks" on either right or left hand curves (more left than right) under normal driving circumstances on paved roads. This causes a "jerk" when returning the wheel to center, after or as the vehicle is coming out of the curve. Definitely concerning. Noticed shortly after we purchased the van with 100,000 miles on the odometer.

My 2017 Chrysler Pacifica steering wheel started locking in place at approximately 10 a 2 o'clock the other day as we were on a couple hundred-mile trip over the memorial day weekend. We looked up the symptoms, it said there was a recall for the power steering assist v53/NHTSA 19v-348. I drove the car slowly the entire way home and set up an appointment at cdjr of morgantown for the next day may25th at 8am. After arriving at the dealership, I was informed that this particular recall was closed, although its description fit exactly what my car had been doing the previous day. I informed them that my main battery ibs had been broken for nearly a year and wondered if that could have been the problem also. They took the car at 8am and at 9 am the man at the desk that had been helping me came to the waiting room and informed me that urse Dodge (where I bought the vehicle in 2017) showed record of performing the recall check " that's a lie" I replied! none the less, at 10 am they reported to me that the auxiliary battery had 0 cca and needed replaced and that the ibs would also need replaced, all of which would run me nearly 1000 dollars. I asked when they could get the ibs and the parts department said 5 days, I asked the gentleman that had originally been helping me if they checked the ground wire from the original recall and he said yes, and it was fine. I changed the auxiliary battery and the ibs myself at advance auto yesterday and after I had the main battery hot lead off it also cleared all the codes that the dealership said was on the vehicle (electrical codes). I drove the vehicle yesterday and I can't say for sure that it did it, although I believe it stuck lightly a couple of times. The ibs and the auxiliary battery are my fault, I should have addressed them sooner. The bigger issue here is that urse Dodge in fairmont never called me, I never received a recall notice.

Sticking steering during gradual turning from 30-70mph.

While driving my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, the vehicle experienced a sudden, severe malfunction of the electric power steering (eps) system. The dashboard illuminated a "service power steering" warning light, which was accompanied by an immediate, complete loss of power steering assist. The steering wheel became extremely stiff and heavy. It required immense physical force to steer. This failure occurred suddenly without warning, creating an immediate and severe crash hazard by making the vehicle uncontrollable. The vehicle also suddenly restored power assist while I was using the extra force which made driving very dangerous. I use my minivan to drive my kids to school every day and this hazard could have resulted in tragic loss of life especially with an infant and three toddlers in my car. I just noticed that the safety probe pe25009 has been opened last year with no recalls yet. Please help us resolve this ASAP as this is a critical, life-threatening, safety issue.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized with no warning. Warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an unrelated failure, and during the inspection, the mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with a failed rack and pinion steering assembly that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. The VIN was not available.